Cherry Blossoms With The Wind
by drewdrew10-harmonia13
Summary: This story is uploaded by harmonia13. A continuation from the anime's ending...Everybody wants an ideal rose colored life but, not our main character. A certain young lady just might be able to give him that opportunity though. This story is made up of ideas I thought of from the past 2 years. I hope you enjoy reading this!
1. Chapter 1

_Realization_

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><p><em>Quote Of The Chapter:<em>

"_Expectations are born from a despairingly large difference in skill."_

_-__Jir__ō__ Tanabe __(Hyou__ka)_

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everybody! This is my first fanfiction story so please give me criticism, as to how well I did. That would be much appreciated! Just a reminder, this story is written by harmonia13; not by drewdrew10. If you like Percy Jackson, you should check out his fanfic on it. Please R&R! Now without further to do! Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hyouka/氷菓, although I think I do have some left in this freezer... All rights go to Honobu Yonezawa.**

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><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki<strong>** POV:**

"By the way...About that business side that you gave up on...How about I take care of that for you?" I said without hesitation.

She gasped and at that moment as if life were an anime, the wind blew and cherry blossoms fluttered everywhere.

I looked back and was stunned by the beauty in front of my eyes.

Unfortunately it wasn't how I wanted it to be. I snapped out of my illusion only to hear her next words.

"By the way...what?" Chitanda inquired with a puzzled look on her face.

"N-Nothing." I stammered. I was at a loss for words. I remembered how Satoshi acted on Valentine's Day.

"_Is this how Satoshi felt back then?_" I thought to myself, while blushing.

"It's getting pretty cold." I said, trying to cover up for the awkwardness.

Chitanda smiled "No, it's spring now."

I looked back only for it to happen again. The wind blew for real this time. The cherry blossoms and her hair fluttering. A truly majestic sight.

She looked around and then looked at me and...smiled. It was the kind of smile even I couldn't resist. It rivaled even a goddess' beauty.

I quickly looked down, my face blushing. I just smiled, happy that this happened.

"_I wonder...will I experience this more?_"

I looked at the sunset in front of me, cherry blossoms flying everywhere.

"U-Um Chitanda would you like me to give you a ride home?" I stuttered.

She smiled and said "Sure, I appreciate it."

"There's room on the seat. Here." I gestured for her to sit on the bicycle seat.

"Thank you." She said whiling sitting down.

I positioned myself so that I would give her more room on the seat and started cycling.

After sometime we finally arrived at her mansion. Huge as always..

"Thank you again for participating in the festival and giving me a ride back home." She said while bowing.

"No thanks necessary" I said nonchalantly.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.

"Sure, let's meet up with Satoshi and Ibara." I answered.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tomorrow then." Chitanda said.

"I'll see you then." I replied.

"Sure!" She finished.

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><p><strong>Eru Chitanda POV:<strong>

I waved at Oreki-san before I closed the gate. "Haaa..." I sighed.

Being with him was sort of nerve wracking...

"_I was so embarrassed when he offered to give me a ride home._" I reminisced.

I shook my head "_No, I should focus on what to wear tomorrow._"

I walked to my bedroom where my cute eggplant plush was awaiting for me.

I opened up my closet and started choosing the clothes ones that I liked the most.

"Hmm, this one looks pretty good but, this ones pretty cute too.."

I fussed over my clothes for a long time that I didn't notice that it was already time for dinner.

"Chitanda dear, it's time for dinner!" My mother yelled down the hall.

"I'll be right there!." I replied.

I quickly ran down the hall to the dinner table. Food was already laid on the table. Rice, grilled fish, shiitake mushrooms, some miso soup and tonkatsu. **A/N: (MY FAVORITE :3)**

My mother and father were at the dinner table too, waiting for me to start the meal.

"Sorry for the wait." I apologized.

"It's alright dear, now let's eat." My mother replied.

"Idatakimasu." All of us said in unison. **A/N: (Thanks for the meal in Japanese for those who don't know.)**

We ate in silence for a while until my mother broke the ice.

"So Eru, how was today's Hina Doll Festival? I heard that you got a friend to fill in one of the umbrella holders position, and by the looks of it he's quite a looker." My mother giggled.

"Mother!" I replied flustered, my cheeks were hot..

Much to my chagrin she kept questioning me about Oreki-san until my father stepped in.

"Miyuki, I think that's enough. Eru's face is already red as a beet root, no need to question her anymore." My father said.

"Sorry dear but, our Eru has grown up so much and is looking beautiful. I'm sure there's at least someone who has fallen for her." My mother winked at me.

I looked down in embarrassment, and after calming my nerves I resumed eating.

We all ate in silence just like before, except my mother was smirking at me throughout the meal.

I quickly finished, not wanting to be interrogated anymore. "Gochisōsama!" I was quick on my feet and made a dash to the door except my mother stopped me.

"Not just yet Eru. Before you leave, at least give me his name." She said teasingly.

"Oreki-san." I mumbled.

"What was that? I can't hear you." She said.

"Oreki-san." I said clearer this time.

"Full name please?" My mother inquired.

I sighed "Oreki Hōtarō." My mother sure loves teasing me...

"Thank you!" She chimed, whiling winking at me.

I sighed again and walked back to my room.

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><p>Meanwhile back at the dinner table...<p>

"Our little girl is so cute!" Miyuki Chitanda proclaimed.

"Yes dear we all know that." Tetsugo Chitanda said. "Oreki Hōtarō-san hmm? I wondered what kind of person he is?" Tetsugo pondered.

"Oreki Hōtarō-kun? Kyah! I want to see my future son-in-law!" Miyuki squealed.

Tetsugo was usually calm and composed but when Miyuki said that, he was shocked. "F-Future son-in-law!? You mean you've already given him permission!?" Tetsugo yelled.

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><p>Back in Eru's Bedroom...<p>

"What's with all the commotion?" I said. Well whatever.

"_Back to the issue at hand...What should I wear?_" I pondered.

There were a few dresses laid out in front of me. Some blouses and a few skirts.

"_Maybe I should try mix and match?_" I suggested.

"Arrrgh...it's too hard to choose." I grumbled frustrated.

I smiled and laid on my bed. I don't think I would be who I am now if it weren't for Oreki-san. Meeting Fukube-san and Mayaka-san was truly a blessing but, I feel at ease when I'm with Oreki-san. All those adventures and mysteries we had together were amazing and it fascinated me whenever Oreki-san would solve one after another as if it weren't a big deal. Speaking of Oreki-san...I wonder when I can start calling him Hōtarō-san...

"_No no, what am I thinking!?_ _To call him by that name would mean..._"

I snapped out of it, and decided to finish picking my clothes for tomorrow.

"Maybe..Maybe I should wear the same clothes as when I asked Oreki-san to help out with my uncle's case." I said out aloud."

I rummaged through my closet until I found it. A dainty white dress and a pink blazer.

"Oh there they are. I must have missed them since my closet's so big."

I changed into them to see if they still fit. "Oh, they still fit." I said.

I walked over to the mirror to see how they looked on me.

"I wonder if Oreki-san will compliment me tomorrow.."

I started to feel my cheeks heat up. I put my hands on them to feel the heat. So embarrassing..

"_Is this what they call love?_" I thought.

I never really understood love, what it meant, why everyone experiences it. I only ever knew of family love. Of course I love my family but, when my parents would say they love each other I would just sit there in silence and try to understand what it meant.

"_I should probably read a book or do something._" I walked over to my bookshelf and started looking at each of the book titles. I scrolled through a few of them and then noticed a particular book. It was Agatha Christie's The A.B.C Murders. I continued to look for more of Christie's works considering how much I loved mysteries. I found Murder On The Orient Express, The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd, Peril At End House, and And Then There Were None.

I decided to start with The A.B.C Murders since that's what the strange event that happened during the cultural festival was based off of. Oreki-san told me about Kudryavka's Order but, that's all he told me.

I was deeply immersed in the book after some time. "_Huh? I'm feeling kind of drowsy. Oh well I should probably go to sleep anyway..._"

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><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki POV:<strong>

"I know I've already read this but, it's still amazing as always." I said as I put down A Corpse By Evening.

"Now then, what to do?" I glanced at the clock which was hung on the wall. It read 11:50 PM.

"_Hmm, should I go to sleep or stay up a little bit more?...I wonder if Chitanda is still up?_" I thought.

I found myself pacing around my room impatiently waiting for tomorrow to come.

"_What am I so excited for anyway?_ _It's just a regular day with Satoshi, Ibara, and...Chitanda._" I tripped over nothing and fell face first on the wooden floor.

"Ow ow ow." I glanced in front of me and saw the Classic's Club's most prized possession. The 46th issue of Hyouka.

I grimly remembered the title's meaning and Sekitani Jun. **A/N: (I know right. Ice cream was never the same for me. ;_;)**

I picked myself and decided to read Hyouka before going to bed. As I flipped through each page, I remembered our adventure trying to uncover the mystery that took place 45 years ago.

I finished the book in no time and fell on my bed.

"_Chitanda sure has changed my life. I'm no longing the energy-saver I once was. I still think that's a bad thing but, if Chitanda likes me as I am...Then maybe it's not so bad after all_." Those were my last thoughts before I drifted away to sleep.

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><p><em>The next day...<em>

**Hōtarō Oreki POV:**

The first thing I heard in the morning was my alarm clock blaring. "Uhhh." I struggled to reached it, and turn it off. "Click." I sighed.

I looked at the alarm clock, it read 8:00 AM. Normally I would sleep in on holidays but, since Chitanda invited me out I decided to wake up early.

There was nothing to do so I headed to the washroom to fix my bed hair and brush my teeth.

After that was done I headed downstairs to go eat breakfast. I found my father already putting his dishes away.

"Good morning." I mumbled. "Good morning." My father replied.

"I already made some breakfast for you, it's on the counter." He said.

"Thank you. Are you going to work?" I asked.

"Yes, I am. Take care of the house for me while I'm gone." He answered.

My father put on his shoes and took his briefcase and went out the door.

I closed the door after him and walked back to the kitchen counter. Let's see there's coffee and toast with Nutella.

I quickly finished eating and went to my room to change. I finished changing and sat on my bed. I was waiting for a phone call from Chitanda. I don't know where we're going but, as long as I'm with her I don't mind. That reminds me...If I'm going to help out Chitanda's family with the business side I should start studying now to get a head start..

A sudden phone call interrupted my thought. I walked to the phone and picked it up.

"This is Oreki." I said.

"Hello Oreki-san. It's Chitanda, I've already contacted Mayaka-san and Fukube-san. They want to go to the mall. Would you like to come?" Chitanda asked.

"Sure, where are we meeting?" I replied.

"Let's meet in front of the school gate in 10 minutes." Chitanda said.

"Alright, then I'll see you there." I hung up.

Kamiyama High School wasn't that far away from my house, it was only about a 10 minute walk. I grabbed my keys, phone, and wallet and locked the front door. I began walking down the sidewalk until I could hear faint yelling.

"_Who's yelling during this time of day._" I thought annoyed. I looked around and only found a small figure in the distance.

"Who's that." I mumbled. "H-ōta-rō! H-ta-o!" I could faintly hear my name being yelled out.

I bet it's Satoshi. I started walking faster. I could hear loud footsteps behind me. Great.

"Hōtarō! HELLO HONEY, MISS ME!?" Satoshi yelled.

I turned back "Do you have no shame!? It's 9:00 in the morning, stop screwing around!" His antics are troublesome as always.

"Hahaha. Good morning Hōtarō." Satoshi apologized.

"Good morning." I replied irritated. We continued to walk to school as if nothing happened until Satoshi broke the silence.

"So, how was the Hina Doll Festival? I heard you were chosen by Chitanda-san herself to hold the umbrella for her." Satoshi smirked.

"It was okay, anyway what's with that smile? Nothing else happened." I said.

"Really?" Satoshi questioned. "Yes. Nothing else happened." I said.

"If you say so then." Satoshi put his hands behind his head.

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><p><strong>Satoshi Fukube POV:<strong>

"_Hmm, so nothing happened huh? That's probably the worst lie you ever came up with Hōtarō._" I thought.

Nothing happened. I know Hōtarō's just trying to avoid the subject. Obviously something happened between Hōtarō and Chitanda-san but, he's not going to tell me anytime soon. Oh well, I can't help it. After all, a database can't draw conclusions.. That reminds me of the Juumonji incident back at the Kanya Fest. I felt so bitter knowing that Hōtarō solved all of it by himself. Mayaka tried to cheer me up I'm grateful for that but, I wanted to solve it all. I thought that if I tried hard enough, I could crack the mystery behind Juumonji. But, instead Hōtarō did it. Without even moving from his desk. I had exceptions of him all along, I just never realized it.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice Hōtarō was calling my name.

"Satoshi. Satoshi. Satoshi!" He yelled. "Oh, uh yeah?" I fumbled.

"Geez, what's wrong with you? I've been calling your name 5 times now." He said.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." I apologized.

"Well, whatever. We're here." He said.

I looked in front of me, Kamiyama High School. I looked around and saw Chitanda-san and Mayaka waving at us. I started running towards them.

"Hello, Chitanda-san, Mayaka!" I said. Hōtarō tagged along behind me. "Morning." He said.

"Good morning!" They both said. They were smiling, while Hōtarō wasn't. He's not exactly a morning person...

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><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki POV:<strong>

I was stunned, on the inside. Chitanda was wearing the exact clothes from when she first approached me to ask me for my help in the Sekitani Jun case. I'll admit, she looks quite good in those clothes..

"Good morning Oreki-san." Chitanda said cheerfully.

"G-Good morning." I stuttered. I sighed. Why am I so nervous being around her now? It's just a trip to the mall that's it. As if on cue Satoshi looks at me and smirks. I shoot him an annoyed glare.

"How about we go now?" Ibara says in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"Sure!" Chitanda says cheerily. "Alright." Satoshi and I respond.

Chitanda planned for us to go to Amejisuto Mall. **A/N: (Amethyst in Japanese)** It was outside town so we were going to take the bus there. She wanted us to go early since the mall was _very_ popular during the afternoon. So we walked to the nearest bus station and waited for a while. Finally, the bus arrived. It was nearly full, so we checked the schedule to see when the next bus would arrive. 10:00 AM, I checked my watch it read 9:30 AM. A half-hour difference. I looked at the bus.

"I think the 4 of us can fit inside." I said. "Alright let's get on then." Everyone else responded.

Satoshi and Ibara went in and paid their fares. I stepped in and paid mine, and then Chitanda got on.

"Excuse me, miss." The bus driver said. "Yes?" Chitanda replied. "I don't think there's enough space to fit you on the bus, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait for the next bus." The bus driver said apologetically.

I was just about to say Chitanda could take my place but, Satoshi intervened "Not a problem Chitanda-san could sit on Hōtarō's lap."

"Sa-" I was about to protest but the bus driver interrupted "Alright that's fine then."

Chitanda and I were beet red but, Satoshi ushered for Chitanda to sit on my lap. She did so reluctantly. I don't know about her but, I was going to give Satoshi a piece of my mind later. This is so embarrassing...

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><p>"We will now be stopping at the Amejisuto Mall Station." The bus driver's voice blared through the speakers.<p>

I woke up. "_Finally here?_" I looked around, the number of people decreased dramatically. There was a familiar face resting on my shoulder. It was Chitanda. I had a sudden urge to pull away but, decided to let her rest. After all, it wasn't everyday that the girl I was interested in was sleeping next to me. On my shoulder too.. I snapped out of it and saw Satoshi and Mayaka giggling. Satoshi gave me a thumbs up. Oh, whatever. I looked at Chitanda. She looks just as beautiful in her sleep. No, way cuter.

I was still in thought when Chitanda began to stir. She woke up and rubbed her eyes apparently she didn't notice that she fell asleep on my shoulder. It's better that way..

"Hey you two, it's time to get off." Satoshi called out.

I grabbed Chitanda's hand. "Let's go." I said softly.

We stepped out of the bus to see the huge buildings in front of us. Amejisuto Mall was famous for being one of the biggest and best shopping malls in Japan. For it to be in a slightly remote location was odd.

Chitanda finally snapped out of her half-asleep state. "Wow! The mall's huge!" She exclaimed.

Ibara joined in. "I know right! Let's go shopping!" Ibara grabbed Satoshi and Chitanda grabbed me respectively and started running. "C'mon let's go!" They both said excitedly. I sighed, this was going to be a long day.

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><p><strong>Eru Chitanda POV:<strong>

I ran around excitedly with Oreki-san in hand. I never had many chances to go to the mall before, much less friends to go with. That's why I was so excited! I want to go get ice cream and try to get some new clothes. Hopefully Oreki-san will compliment me... I felt my cheeks getting warmer by the second. I let go of Oreki-san's hand due to my embarrassment.

"What's wrong?" Oreki-san asked me. "O-Oh n-nothing." I said flustered. He probably thinks I'm weird now...

"Chii-chan! How about we check out the clothes store over there?" Mayaka said. "Sure!" I replied. Fukube-san and Oreki-san tagged along, talking the whole way quietly for some reason. I managed to catch a few words from their conversation: Asleep, lucky, Chitanda, and picture? I wonder what they were talking about? Whatever it was, Oreki-san's face was sort of red and he was trying to grab Fukube-san's phone for some reason. Fukube-san was laughing the whole time and running away from Oreki-san.

"Hey Chii-chan. What do you what to check out first?" Mayaka asked. "I want to check out the dresses first, how about you?" I replied. "I guess I'll go with you then." Mayaka said.

"Oreki-san, Fukube-san. Mayaka and I will be in the dress section okay?" I said. They responded with "Sure!" They walked off still talking about something.

I asked Mayaka what their conversation earlier was about. She looked away smiling saying

"Sorry Chii-chan I can't tell you. I promised Fuku-chan." She clasped her hands in apology. "Oh well, it can't be helped then." I said. Seems suspicious... We found the dress section after 4 minutes of looking around. We started looking around for dresses that appealed to us. I found a black dress that looked like it would fit me.

"Chii-chan, you should try that on! That looks great!" Mayaka exclaimed.

"Really? I guess I will." I said. I went to one of the dressing rooms and put it on. I went out and Mayaka squealed in delight.

"That looks so good on you!" She smiled and walked closer so that only the of us could hear her words.

"Even Oreki won't be able to resist." She winked and I blushed madly. "O-Oreki-san doesn't think like that..." She laughed. "C'mon Chii-chan it was a joke." I sighed and I helped Mayaka pick out a white dress that looked great on her. I decided to get revenge on her, so I teased her about Fukube-san.

"Stop it Chii-chan, I'm sorry okay?" She huffed in embarrassment. I laughed and said "Alright but, you better not tease me about Oreki-san." She agreed and we started to look for the boys.

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><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki POV:<strong>

Satoshi and I weren't looking for anything in particular. So we just walked around, Satoshi was going on about how cute Chitanda and I looked on the bus.

"You looked like an actual couple." He said. That I wish.

"I can't wait to check out the arcade and the sports stores!" I knew he loved arcade games and mountain biking so he would definitely dragged me there. I didn't have anything in particular that I wanted to buy. Pretty much the only reason I came was because Chitanda insisted that I come and because I wanted to be around Chitanda.

"Hey Hōtarō it seems Mayaka and Chitanda-san are outside the entrance waiting for us." He said showing his phone text. "Alright, then let's go." I replied. We walked over to the entrance and saw Ibara and Chitanda waving at us.

"You're already done?" I asked. "Yup!" Chitanda answered. "Then let's go somewhere else." I said. We started walking down a hall side by side. I wonder what other people would think of us. Do we look like lovers or just friends? Satoshi and Ibara looked like a couple for sure. I was deep in thought so I didn't notice Chitanda take my hand and we turned a corner. We almost bumped into someone.

"Sorry about that!" Chitanda and the stranger apologized in unison.

"Chitanda-san!?" The stranger yelled. Chitanda looked puzzled until she seemly recognized who he was.

"Hayashi-san?" She said. "Yes, that's me." The stranger said frantically. He looked at our hands which were intertwined and then glared at me. I returned the same look.

"_Who is he_?" Both of us questioned each other identities. One could literally feel the tension between us. Although most of it came from the stranger who was irritated by the sight of me and Chitanda's hands together. His next action was very sudden, yet demanding.

"Who are you?" He questioned with animosity.

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><p><strong>AN: So tired from writing all this...I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I will be updating every week on Sunday. If you have any suggestions to the story's plot, please don't hesitate to PM me or just leave it in the reviews. All reviews will be taken to heart so once again, please R&R! **


	2. Chapter 2

_Hostility_

_Quote Of The Chapter:_

"_There are times in life when you have to distance yourself from those you love, because you love them." C.C (Code Geass)_

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everybody! A big thanks to the reviewers, I really appreciate it! I hope everybody enjoys the new chapter. Don't forget to R&R! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hyouka/氷菓, all rights go to Honobu Yonezawa-sensei.**

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><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki POV:<strong>

"Who are you?" The stranger asked in a demanding tone.

I glared at him. "Isn't it rude to ask someone of their name without giving your own?" I questioned.

He looked at me as if I were just a mere commoner in his eyes. That really pissed me off, I was clenching my fist in an attempt to release the anger. My left foot was tapping on the floor. He looked at me as if disgusted. Chitanda was caught up in the heat of the moment, not knowing what to do. That was when Satoshi and Ibara caught up to us and interrupted the moment of tension.

"Sorry Hōtarō! We couldn't find you since you two walked so fast. What's going on here?" Satoshi asked unknowingly.

"A very rude stranger bumped into us." I said not taking my eyes off this self proclaimed blue blood.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are talking to me like that?" He stared daggers at me.

"Who the hell do you think _you_ are? Demanding to know who I am without even giving your own name. You've got quite the elitist personality." I shot back.

"Why you-" He was cut off by Chitanda.

"Hayashi-san! Oreki-san! Both of you stop it, you're making a scene!" Chitanda yelled.

We looked around and found people staring at us, somewhere whispering, others were taking pictures of the stranger.

"_Somehow I get the feeling that some of them aren't here because of the argument..._" I thought.

The stranger was waving at the girls who were taking pictures of him, he turned back to me and smirked. That son of a...

Chitanda ran over to me. "Sorry about that Oreki-san, he's a family friend. His name is Hayashi Takehiko. His family has great influence in the logging industry.

"I see." I said dryly. I really didn't want to talk about that guy anymore. As if reading my thoughts, he dismissed the fangirls who were talking to him and walked towards us.

"Sorry about my behavior earlier Chitanda-san. That was rude of me." He apologized.

"_If anything, you should be apologizing to me._" I thought. A phone call interrupted any further thoughts.

"Excuse me." The stranger called Hayashi said. He chatted on the phone for a mere 10 seconds before hanging up.

"It seems I must take my leave now. Send my regards to your father." He said before walking away.

Chitanda sighed. I wonder if she thinks he's a nuisance too? Considering his attitude, probably.

"I'm sorry about earlier Oreki-san. Apparently Hayashi-san's father asked my father to arrange a marriage after I graduate from university." She said. I tensed up. Marriage... I haven't even confessed to Chitanda, now I find out she's in an arranged marriage?

"S-So, did your dad agree to it?" I asked hopefully.

"My father was somewhat reluctant, so he asked me what I thought of the situation. I didn't really know how to respond to something as shocking as an arranged marriage. So my father asked for them to wait until I finally graduate." Chitanda said.

"_Thank God._" I thought. **A/N: (No offense to any Christians reading this.)** I still had a chance.

"What was that all about?" Satoshi asked. "Nothing." I replied.

"Oreki you looked pretty scary for a second there." Ibara said while hiding behind Satoshi. I sighed. It's because of that guy..

"How about we finish shopping?" I suggested "Sure!" Was the response I got back.

We went around and found a sports shop and a manga store. Of course Satoshi went into the sports shop so I followed him while Mayaka and Chitanda went into the manga store.

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><p><strong>Mayaka Ibara POV:<strong>

Wow I couldn't believe my eyes, there were so many manga and stationary items. I immediately ran over to the manga section and started looking through all the books. There was Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, -Man, Fairy Tail, and so many more! I didn't have any manga in particular that I wanted to buy so I headed over to the art supplies section. Chii-chan was looking at a Nisekoi manga so I left her to read. This manga store is famous for having a wide variety of manga and art supplies so I decided that I had to leave with something from the store. I began looking at all the pens and screen tones. I picked up a pack of G-Pens and a bunch of screen tones. I loved manga, so I decided when I was younger to become a manga artist. I continued to grab some more supplies, I got a cutting mat, bleed-proof paper, and set of markers. I ran over to Chii-chan, hands full of supplies. Turns out she had her hands full too. Full of 13 volumes of Nisekoi.

"What's with all the manga?" I asked. "Well, I read the 1st one and..I'm hooked?" She said. I didn't know she liked romance. **A/N: (I love Nisekoi :3)**

"Wow Mayaka-san you sure have a lot in your hands." She commented. "Yeah, it's for my manga drawing. You know I love manga right?" I said. Chii-chan's light lit up, the same as when she wanted Oreki to solve a mystery.

"Mayaka-san, can you please draw Chitoge from this manga for me please?" She said while pointing at one of the volumes.

I laughed, it was funny how she was so hooked to Nisekoi just after reading one volume. "Sure, I'll draw her for you when we get back." I said. "Thank you!" She responded happy.

I walked up to the cashier and put all the items on the counter. The cashier scanned all the

items. "That comes to a total of 10,000¥." She said. Manga drawing is such an expensive hobby but, nonetheless I love it. Chii-chan had also finished paying. We walked out of the store only to see Oreki and Fuku-chan sitting on a bench waiting for us.

"Hey, Mayaka." Fuku-chan smiled. I couldn't resist blushing. "Hey.." I muttered. Make a move you idiot..Usually a guy should make a move, not the other way around...

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><p><strong>Eru Chitanda POV:<strong>

11,260¥ for 13 books. Not exactly sure if it was worth it but, I really enjoyed reading it. After all, I never had many chances to read manga. I usually read literature books so I think changing the kind of book once in a while would be good. Besides, I never knew romance could be expressed like that in a manga. I started to blush. I wish I could experience that kind of romance...

"What's with all the books?" Oreki-san asked. "Oh um, I read the first volume and I loved it, so I bought the rest. From what I hear it's on-going." I replied. "I see." He said. Fukube-san didn't buy anything since the bikes were too expensive. Oreki-san looked somewhat bored.

"How about we go to an arcade if there is any?" I suggested.

At the drop of a hat, Fukube-san's eyes lit up. "Sure! C'mon Hōtarō. Loosen up, it's not everyday that we get to go to an arcade so let's have fun!" He said excitedly

Oreki-san just sighed and agreed. I was kind of looking forward to the arcade as well since I rarely went to arcades to play. I was usually fulfilling tasks my father gave me and running all sorts of errands. After looking at the directory and walking for little while, we found the arcade it looked quite new.

"Woah Hōtarō look! It's Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax!" Fukube-san exclaimed.

"Alright let's play." Oreki-san smiled. I rarely get to see him smile but, when he does he's incredibly attractive...

* * *

><p><strong>Satoshi Fukube POV:<strong>

We started playing the game, so we chose our characters. I chose Rentaro Satomi while Hōtarō got Shizuo Heiwajima. Funny because Hōtarō wasn't the kind of guy who would go bashing things around, wasting his energy. A few minutes later he beat me.

"Ahhh, you beat me," I sighed. "This is pretty fun don't you think?" "Yeah, it is." He replied. This reminds me of the time we went to the arcade back in Kamiyama. How Hōtarō beat me, and how I reacted to it. When he confronted me about Mayaka's stolen chocolate, I told his my secrets about how I've changed. I'm no longer the obsessive type and I don't want to be but, one day for sure, I'll tell Mayaka how I feel.

I checked behind us to see if the girls were still there but, they weren't. They probably went to wait outside or play some another game. Perfect, this was my chance. I turned to face Hōtarō.

"Tell me, what do you think about Chitanda-san?" I asked. He suddenly jolted and hit his leg on the machine. Definitely suspicious.

"Ow, ow, ow...You want to know what I think about her?" He said. I nodded. "Well, she wastes too much energy that's for sure." He said dryly. I facepalmed.

"No not that. Geez, is energy saving the only thing you can think about? What I mean to ask is: what do you think about her romantically?" I asked once more. He stiffened for a second, his gaze cast elsewhere.

"Romantically? Why would you even ask that? We aren't compatible in the least bit, besides you know well that I don't care for a rose-colored life." He replied. You might be fooling yourself Hōtarō...

"When it comes to a matter of compatibility, I think you two do just fine." He looked at me irritated. "After all, opposites attract." I said in a sing-song voice. That made Hōtarō even more annoyed.

"Satoshi, I don't think I need romantic advice from someone who doesn't even have _his_ _own_ priority's straight." Ouch. Way to strike back.

"Yeah about that..." I started. He looked at me somewhat interested. "I'm planning on finally responding to Mayaka's feelings." I said.

"Oh? That's a first. What's with the sudden change of pace?" He questioned. I looked up to see the illuminated ceiling.

"To be honest, I'm not sure myself. It's just that...After all this time and what Mayaka's done for me, I think I should step up and admit what I feel." I said without hesitation. Hōtarō just stared not knowing what to say.

"You've really changed you know that? He said. I laughed. "Same goes for you. Looks like that motto of yours is wearing down."

"Hmph, let's go play another game." Hōtarō suggested. "Yes sir." I replied sarcastically.

* * *

><p><strong>Eru Chitanda POV:<strong>

We've been playing a crane machine for a while. There was a cute penguin plush that I really wanted, so Mayaka-san tried to win it for me. I think it's her 10th attempt now..

"Arghh, why is it so hard." Mayaka-san complained. "It's alright really Mayaka-san, I appreciate you trying to win for me but I don't want to waste any more of your money." I said feeling a little guilty.

"What's up?" A voice asked from my right. I turned to see who it was. It was Fukube-san and Oreki-san. My heart skipped a beat.

"Oh it's just that Mayaka-san tried to win the penguin for me and failed...10 times." I said looking down. Fukube-san laughed and Mayaka-san kicked him.

"That's pretty easy." Oreki-san said. "Huh?" I asked. Oreki-san entered a 100¥ coin into the machine. It came to life, lights flashing. He swiftly moved the claw to the corner and picked up the penguin, he moved it to the drop box and it dropped. Mayaka-san's jaw was agape while Fukube-san looked amused. Oreki-san retrieved the penguin from the box and handed to me.

"Here you go, consider it a present from me although it isn't much." Oreki-san said while looking away.

"T-Thank you." I managed to say. I accepted the penguin and put it in my bag. It was so cute.

"So now that we're done here, you guys wanna grab a bite to eat? Fukube-san asked. "Yeah good idea, let's go!" Mayaka-san said. We walked out of the arcade to see a large jewelry store in front of us. Amejisuto Mall was named after this particular store, it was well-known for the intricate designs of all it's products. Fukube-san stopped.

"What's up?" Oreki-san asked. Fukube-san was silent for a moment before responding. "Hōtarō come with me for a sec." Fukube-san said before dragging Oreki-san into the store. "Sorry but can you two wait for us?" Fukube-san called out. "No problem we'll wait at the bench for you." I replied. What's with those two. As if reading my thoughts, Mayaka-san asked the same thing.

"Why is Fuku-chan going into a jewelry store and with Oreki!" Mayaka exclaimed. I admit that _is_ weird. Why would Oreki-san be dragged into a jewelry store by Fukube-san? _I'm curious! I can't stop thinking about it!_

"Mayaka-san, why don't we check on them? I'm curious as to why the two of them are in that particular store!" I said. "Yeah, let's go check on them." Mayaka-san said. We quietly went over to the entrance and could see the two of them from there. They were at the necklace section seemingly choosing a necklace. It looked like Fukube-san was asking Oreki-san some questions and Oreki-san looked frustrated.

"How am I suppose to know? You're the one choosing the necklace, pick something she'll like. That's all I can say." Oreki-san said.

"S-She'll?" Mayaka-san asked worriedly. Oh no. "Mayaka-san, I'm sure Fukube-san is buying it for you." I said trying to calm her down. "Really?" She asked excitedly. "Yes." I replied. I don't want to destroy her hopes.

"Now that I've chosen mine what about you Hōtarō?" That was what I heard, and I froze. Oreki-san was going to buy something for a girl? _Who?_

"Don't be ridiculous, I don't have feelings for anyone." Oreki-san said. My heart sank. It was already hard enough because of my family custom. I couldn't even give Oreki-san the homemade chocolate that I made with Mayaka-san...

"_This is no good," Mayaka-san complained. "I'm already nervous!" _

"_I'm sure he'll accept it." I tried consoling her. "I hope so." She responded. Mayaka moved closer to me in small steps._

"_By the way Chii-chan...Is there anyone you like?" Mayaka-san asked smiling._

_I gasped, looking away in embarrassment. I could already feel my cheeks getting warmer and warmer._

"_Um...I..." I started. "O-Oreki-san..." I said quietly. I really hope she didn't hear me..._

"_O-O-Oreki? Why on earth would you like him? Mayaka-san asked while looking shocked. I looked down, cheeks flushed._

"_T-There are plenty of reasons.." I started. "A-Anyway let's just choose a ribbon okay?" I said, not wanting to face her._

"_Alright I won't question you about it." Mayaka-san said grinning. "But, on one condition." I turned to face her. "I'll help you make chocolate for him, even though he doesn't deserve it." She said._

_Making the chocolate's one thing but, giving it to him? My heart would burst... "A-Alright." I managed to say. Why did she have to ask me that particular question?..._

I came back to reality as Mayaka-san shook me by the shoulders. "Chii-chan what's wrong?" She asked.

"Oh nothing, I was a little out of it. Nothing much." I said. Mayaka-san looked a bit skeptical. "If you say so.." She said. We continued to watch Oreki-san and Fukube-san discuss over something, until Fukube-san went to the register. He payed and turned back to Oreki-san

"Alright let's go since you aren't going to buy anything." Fukube-san sighed. "I never intended too anyway." Oreki-san said.

"Let's hurry back." Mayaka-san whispered. We made our way back to the bench we were supposed to be waiting at, without a hitch.

"Sorry for the wait." Fukube-san said. "Not a problem. Shall we get something to eat then?" I asked. "Sure" Was everybody's response.

* * *

><p><strong>Hōtarō Oreki POV:<strong>

We walked to the food court which was wasn't that far away. Ibara seemed to be somewhat happy, as if in a state of euphoria. Chitanda looked a little dejected, while Satoshi kept checking his pocket to see if the box containing the necklace was still in there. _What's with our atmosphere?..._

We made our way into the food court, shops everywhere with customers lined up.

"So, what does everyone want to eat?" I asked. "I'm fine with anything as long as I get coffee." They looked around at the fast-food shops and began deciding. It took them a minute or two then they all agreed.

"How about we get a few combos from McDonald's?" Satoshi said. "Fine by me, I'll go order while you three find a table to sit at." I said. They nodded and began searching for a free table. I waited in a fairly long line for some time. I got our order after 10 minutes. I brought our food back to our table and ate.

We finished eating, then Ibara and Satoshi stuck up a conversation. I checked the time, my watch read 2:15 PM. We planned to go back to Kamiyama at 2:45 since Chitanda's father needed her back by 3:30. It seemed somewhat urgent. I asked Chitanda about it and she just looked away saying it was nothing. We all had our own agenda's to attend to, so the rest of us were okay with the time.

We put the trash away and headed to the bus station. We got on the first bus we saw. "Whew, we almost missed that bus." Satoshi said, out of breath. We all took a seat, things we bought in hand. Since the ride back was going to be 30 minutes long, I decided to take a nap. Finally some rest...

After 30 long minutes, we arrived at the station. My sister was coming back from another of her long trips, so I was going to meet her later. We were just getting off the bus when a fancy car pulled over. Inside looked to be an attendant.

"Ojou-sama, please get in the car. Chitanda-dono is waiting for you." The attendant adressed. Chitanda nodded and turned back to us. "I have to go now, I'll see you three in the club room again." She said. We said our goodbyes and they drove off.

"I have to go back home now, my sister is coming back from her travels." I told Satoshi. "Well then I'll see you back at school, say hi to Tomoe-san for me." Satoshi said. I nodded and started walking back home. Today was somewhat a tiring day, normally I would've just declined the invitation and sleep for most of the day. Why did I choose to go today?

* * *

><p><strong>Eru Chitanda POV:<strong>

I got out of the car and made way to the entrance where I was greeted by my father. "Eru, we need to talk." My father said. "Okay." I replied. It was probably going to be _that _again. I walked with my father to the living room where we took a seat. I placed my books on the floor and waited for him to start.

"So Eru, what's your opinion on the marriage?" My father asked. "I haven't even graduated from high school yet, why does Hayashi-san want to arrange it _now_?" I replied. I honestly didn't want to take part in this. The Hayashi's have tremendous influence in the logging industry and have been friends with my father for many years. I didn't want to ruin that by declining.. Even so, I didn't want to think about marriage yet. Takehiko-san is a nice person but, not someone I would spend the rest of my life with. I was interrupted from my thoughts by my father.

"Eru, by any chance..Do you like your friend Oreki-san?" My father asked. I wasn't expecting that question from him. It was embarrassing that my parents had already found out who I like. I tried to reply but stumbled on my words. I wonder if Father's mad? He sighed.

"I'll talk to Hayashi to let him know we are holding it off until you agree to it. Okay?" My father asked. "Yup!" I said. That takes a lot off my mind. Constantly thinking about that stresses me out.

"I'll give them the phone call so that they know." My father said. I bowed and went back to my room. I put all the books on the floor and took out Volume 2. I plopped on my eggplant plushie and began reading.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else near Kamiyama City...<p>

"Oh so that's how it is? I see. It must have been weighing heavily on her mind. Tell Chitanda-san I'm sorry, that was inconsiderate of me. I'll tell Takehiko so that he knows. Well then I'll see you." Takahiko Hayashi hung up.

"Takehiko, do you have all the files ready?" He asked. "Yes Father." Takehiko replied. "Alright, let's go to Kamiyama then."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the characters might be a little OOC but bear with me. I have reasons for everything that happens in this story. xD**

**I'll update again next Sunday! Look forward to it!**


	3. HIATUS

Hi everybody, as you can see I'm putting this story on hiatus due to school and personal reasons. My apologies for telling people this after so long. I don't know when I'll be resuming it but, for sure I will either finish it or put it up for adoption.


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